Christopher Creek abounds with budding branches, blooming blossoms and the sights and smells of spring. Apple, apricot, cherry and pear trees are all challenging the chilly overnight temperatures and the possibility of a freeze. Garden flowers, too, are braving the elements. Wildflowers will bloom later here in the Creek. Oaks have not yet budded out — oak trees are always last.

We had a bumper crop of apples two years ago, but last season ... not so much. Seems as though we have three or four years when blossoms are caught in a spring freeze for every year we have a good crop.

Have you ever wondered where all the different apple varieties here in the Creek came from? Have you ever noticed apple trees out in the woods around town?

Last week, Buccholz, from out at Ponderosa Springs, said Wiley Boggess counted 30 head of elk down by the gate. John also reported that all of his flowers had been eaten!

Don’t let April 27 sneak up on you ... get those leaves raked up and bagged for pick up by the CCHA volunteers.

Mary and Leo Wenning were up this week to clean up their lot of all the limbs and winter debris. It won’t be long and they will be here for the summer.

Kudos to Brenda Slapnicka, who has just returned from six weeks in Costa Rica where she was completing her Master Certification in yoga therapy.

Kendra and Martin Holdgraf, along with 8-year-old nephew, Caleb, spent their weekend at the Finch place on Apple Lane. OK, it’s been changed to Ashby-Apple Lane, but that’s just plain difficult to get used to.

Larry and Patty Boeschling stopped by the Creek on their way back out to the OW Ranch. Looking tan and healthy, they are just returning from their Caribbean cruise, with a stop in Jamaica.

The annual Girls’ Jammie Party last Friday featured a vast array of snacks, finger foods and an onion soup “to die for.” You should know, getting these gals to line up for a photo is like herding cats. Next thing was taking the same photo with five different cameras. Of course, just five minutes after getting that accomplished, Cindi and Samone Werlinger arrive. Well, it was back to square one. It seems as though they all were having a splendid time, even though attendance was down a bit. Later, they were off to our two local establishments to cap off the evening.

Perhaps, the fellas should think about having a corresponding thong party ... or not.

It was cool the afternoon of the CCHA Easter Egg Hunt, across the road from the meadow at the CI ranch. That, however, did not diminish the enthusiasm of the nine participants, 1 to 7 years of age. The event is held right along the swift-moving creek, so, thanks to the two fellas from the CKFD who stood guard. Hats are off, also, to those who made it happen, the Armentas, Alex and Irma, and Karen Thornton. It was a nine-way tie for who was the cutest; however, Aliana Evans got the nod for being the loudest. Good job Anika Anderson and Hayden Flores for winning the prizes! Quinn Doss, 2-and-a-half, didn’t want to quit and may still be out there looking!

Christopher Creek is still flowing strong. As of March 21, there was still ice on the lakes up on top and snow on the FR 300. Checking in on the lake levels, Roosevelt is at 52 percent up from 48 percent when last we checked. The Salt system is at 60 percent.

Back in the day, as the story goes, those who lived on the CI homestead raised hogs and those hogs had the run of the place. Christopher had cattle, hogs and fruit trees. Isador planted apple, peach, pear and plum trees in his orchard. John Bowman bought the outfit, hogs, apple trees, cattle and all, shortly after his arrival in Rim Country in the early 1900s. Paul Ashby hauled waste apples, ones picked up from the ground, from the Valley to feed his hogs. Those waste apples came from a variety of trees. So, from 1900 on, “free range” hogs dined on apples and roamed the ranch, rooting and snorting, and doing what hogs naturally do. Those hogs ended up being the Creek’s Johnny Appleseeds ... and that’s another week in the Creek.